Reinforced tubular building unit.



J. SCHISLER. REINFORCED TUBULAR BUILDING UNIT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2'I, i913.

Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914.

2 BHEETP-EHBET l.

TI 1:51;. l

anucmtoz A Frank J Schis'ler aflcum u FRANK T. SCHISLER, 0F WINTHROP, MINNESOTA.

REINFORCED TUBULAR BUILDING UNIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

Application filed January 27, 1913. Serial No. 744,503.

Z '0 all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I. FRANK J. Sol-listen,

.a citizen of the United States, residing at lVinthrop, in the county of Sibley and State of Minnesota, .ln'lvciiu-"entetl certain new and useful Improvements in Reinforced Tubular Building Units; and I do declare the followingwho a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This inventitm-relates to metallic building structures, and. more especially it is a unit capable o't use as a girder or column; and the object thereof is to reinforce the tubular shell of such a unit by sheet metal bracing members engaged with each other and with the shell in such manner that no rivets or bolts are necessary, and the unit-if used as a girder-As strengthened against strains in a direction perpendicular or oblique to it. The object is carried out by forming the bracing members so that some of them by their peculiar construction extend completely across the interior of the shell, while others are complementary of the first; and the invention consists in the specific details of structure and in the manner of assembling the parts.

My preferred means for carrying outthe invention i set forth in the following specification and claims, and shown in the drawings wl1erein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a girder made in accordance with my inven' tion, the front end being open. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section tirough this girder, showing the preferred form of my invention. Fig. is a perspective view of one end of one of the smaller or narrower bracing members (the strut in the following description),

showing its body in the simplest form and illustrating more particularly the formation of its 'l'oot. Fig. lis a similar perspective view showing another form of the bracing member a stamped with stiffening, irregularities, and Fig. 5 is ascctional detail on the line 5--5 o'li l ig. Figs. 6 to it) inclusive nre/ diagrammatic end elevations of the several strengthening members herealtt-r described, Fig. 6 showing the V- shupcd member, Fig. 7 the A-shaped member,

Fig. 8 the horizontal member, and Figs. 9 and t0 the two parts of the vertical or upright member, the former being the strut and the latter the brace in the following description. Figs. 11 to 19 are diagrammatic end elevations of clillerent types of building units, all of which include the essential feature. or features of the present invention but with the details differently disposed as hereinafter referred to. Fig. 20 is a perspot-live detail of one end plate.

The casino of this improved unit-be it girder or co umn--is by preference made of a sheet of metal rolled or bontinto the proper cross sectional configuration so as to form what will hereinafter be called the shell 1, with the edges of the sheet secured to each other as by a scam or crimp along one corner at 2 if the shell be of rectangular cross section, or along one side if it be circular or oval, or of any other eonfi uration de sired. From this it will be uttered that I do-not' limit myself to the s hape shown in Fig. 1, but have illustrated the shell as rectangular cr angular because its corners are useful in the following description. At its ends the shell is closed by a plate which may well be constructed as shown in Fig. 20. The body 3 of this plate s flat, and at its edges it has inturned lips 4: spaced apart as at 5 for the admission of the bracing members hereinafter described, and these lips are intended to slip into the end of the shell as shown in dotted lines at the right of Fig. 1,

the shell itself being pierced with holes '6 directly over said lips and into which a drop of solder ma be placed to engage the end member and 101d it in position. There will be little or no strain on this member, and its use is to exclude dust, drafts, and mice from the interiorof the structural unit.

The detailed structure of an element on the interior of this shell is well illustrated in Fig. 3, and 5, but is entirely optional with the manufacturer: Fig. 3 represents a simple form of the narrow bracing member,

whose body 10 is flat, and whose lower edge in the present instance is provided with a rip-ht angular foot 11. In Fig. 4 the same blank has been stamped or formed with indentations 12 in its flat body, the indenta tions being punched first fromone side and then from the other in staggered or alternated relation to each other as seen in Fig. 5. This illustration is merely typical as showing one form of producing stiffening irregularities in the otherwise fiat body portion of a member or leaf, whose edge extending into a corner or merging into an angle or having a foot would need no stiffening device. v

The gist of the present invention lies in the provision of perpendicular and diagonal members within'the shell, especially when the latter is rectangular in contour ornearly so and when it is to be used as a beam or girder to support some weight and hence will hereinafter refer to its top and bottom and sides as seen in that figure, although I do not wish to be limited in this respect. I might also say at starting that, while I herein refer it) sheet metal and prefer its use throughout, it is quite obvious that some or all of the members of this unit could be of cast metal, or in fact of other material than metal; and it is even possible that the unit could be filled with cement as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. is. I c nsider it highly desirable to avoid the necessity for any rivets or bolts, and if the shell be formed without the crimp 2 the same may be replaced by a line scratched or marked along one come of the shell on its exterior so that (if its ends are closed orif it is filled with concrete) the worlnnan may be guided by this indicator in determining the respective positions of the diagonals and perpendicular-s. A glance at Fig. 13 will show the desirability-of this feature; obviously the unit therein illustrated has greater strength to resist vertical strain in the position shown, than it would have if turned at right angles to this position and-in which case there would be no bracing memher then extending vertically within the shell. I might add that the stifiening irregularities, while described with reference to one of the bracing members only, might be, applied to the shell, or might be employed in some part of the unit and omitted in others. In order to avoid the use of bolts, rivets, or other fastening means I prefer to make as many of the bracing members as possible of sheet metal and of such width that they will extend from the" Wall of the casing or shell to a point at or near its axial line, where they have interengaging angles so that one member may not slip upon another, and whence they'are continued to another wall or angle of the shell; leaving as few of the members as possible to be made of narrower material or metal strips, and by preference these are disposed upright so that the lowermost constitutes a strut rising from the bot tom of the shell to said common point and the uppermost constitutes a brace rising from said common point to the to shell. In theforms of this device s own in Figs. 11 to 19 inclusive different combinations of the dili'erent elfiments are .wrought out, but in my preferred construction illustrated in Fig. 2 I employ all of the bracing members now to be described.

The principal bracing element (shown in Fig. 6) is what I call a V-shaped member, and by preference it is formed from a single piece of metal having two leaves 61 and 62 standing in planes at an angle to eachother and integrally united with each other at their contiguous edges by an angle whose vertex is bent upward so as to form a reentrant angle 63. Ordinarily this member will be disposed with the'edges 64 of its leaves standing within the corners of the shell as seen in F 11, 14, and 19, but it is quite within the spirit of my invention that said edges could be turned aside into feet 65 as seen in Fig.

16 where the V-shaped member is differently disposed within the shell.

The member of next greatest importance is of A-shape as seen in Fig. 7, and his formed from a sheet of metal bent into two leaves 71 and 72 withv a plain or external angle 73 between them, the edges 74 of said leaf by preference standing'within the lower corners of the shell as seen in Figs. 1 and 11, although here again they could be otherwise disposed and possibly provided with feet 75 as seen in Fig. 17. In assembling these two members it is essential that the external angle 7 3 of the A-shaped member enter the rewere square it w'ould'withstand horizontal strain as well as it would vertical strain, but it would withstand oblique strain better than either. In Fig. 12 the point where the an: gles interengage is not coincident with the true axis of the shell, but this also is contemplated by my present invention. I consider the beam a little stronger with the V'-shaped member disposed above the A-shaped'memher, because pressure from above does not tend to separate the interengaging angles, andif the unit shown in Fig. 11 were given a one-quarter turn to the left I SllOlllflIlOlZ consider it so strong. However, the pres ence of the crimp2 Will guide the'wirkman in properly setting the beam.

In many cases it is desirable that the unit of the be r.

should resist lateral strain, and in that in ralanre l provid: it with a horivzontal b are ing member beat seen in Fig. This also is made of sheet metal formed 'n't'o two flat strips or lea veg 81 and 82 atanding in a single plan a and united by an upstruek angle 83 uhirh, when assemblelfl with the members :ilmve deaeribed, tits under the retint ant angle (523 of the tl-shaierl membe' and over the exterior angle ($13 of the A--sl1a.ped me1n- As; this tttiilafil'rit. n'iernber will not hate the outer edges of its lanes: extending into eorners ol the ahell, I provide th m with feet Sb W lltll may well be lormed by simply turning the aheet metal aaide-at right an eh: to the lea res ii the upright sideaot' the nhell be flat a.-; seen in l ig. 2, possibly eurved a littli as wen at 8 in Fig. 18 it the shell be rireular. and in aome eases possibly being given a double bend trst to one side and then to the other aa seen at 97 in 'l ig. l5. Fiualtv. one of the pta pendieulm's is what might bev :alirdthe upright or vertical member. but as the other perpendinular (the horizz'mtal member) extends rompletely arrow: the interior ot the shell it is impossible t r ,the verlieal member to extend eonr pletel aeros; it at rie'l'it anglers thereto. and therehire l itlhItl this member in two par as by 'lorming; :aeh oi strip me al that: in-

eli'eet it about as wide HS one oi the leaves ot one at the sheet metal members. The

. lowermost part or strut is well shown in liig'. i and eompriees an upright. body 10 with-a 'r'oot it at its lower and adapted to re-t upon the bottom of the shell. The nppermoat part or brace is well shown in Fig. lt) wherein it is illustrated as having a. aimila r tint; body 90 with a foot 91 at its upper edge adapted to stand beneath the top of the shell, and its lower edge fo med nt a flange 92 whit-h is itself stamped with an np.-=trueh angle so as to )1'O(lilt" a ehann-el EH eapable; oi resting over the topot' the iazt ntranl. angle or. of the '-shaped member 'u'bt-u the parts are asaeuibied as seen in Fig. it follow that the feet ii and ill of the two part-a or the upright member, it

made wide enough, will not slip within the.-

wall oi the .-hell; the upper edge of the strut cannot lip beeause it rests within the angle 73 ot the Anhaped member; and the rhannel 5:23 at the lower end of the brace cannot Flil) be ause it. rests; over the angle 3 o] the V=--hapeil member lherelore these t o parts are held in atriot alinempnl, and pressure upon the top ot.the beam lirmly restated.

l 'ie'. it is obviously a eombination of the W f-ahaped and l-vshaped ua'mbera. Fig. 13 how g the V shaped member tiilllllllittl with the strut, and tie. l-l the Fame two eloniei'tta :u'rane etl within a hexagonal shell ant 0on1 bin'ed with thotfiiilfil'u -o member. .l 'irg, to shows the arrangtnnent;of the name parts within a eirenlar shell, the only dill'erence being; that. the feet as seen at 57 may have to be bent a little so as to lit within the eurved wall. of the shell, and in this instance the V-shaped member may be provided with feet 07. 'Figs. 16 and 17 show the A-shaped and V-shaped members combined within a square or rectangular shell, but disposed obliquely therein so that the outer edge of each leaf must here no provided with hat an indieat d at 43 and T5; and Fig. l7 sh ws th r addition ol the trans Verse or horizontal member, which is here diaposed obliapielj aero-i-s the interior of the l lttilt shell and doe not need its feet. Fig. lei-5 is a diagrammatie view illustrating the litmfillillliy ot utilizing two V-shaped memhers having ditl'ereut angles, two A'shaped members having dill'erent. angles, and also the transverse member and the upright member; and from this view itwill be elear that quite a number of the various members muld be employed, so long as the angles at about the center of the shell inter-engage eaeh. other to prevent slipping. Fig. 1!) is but one lllllrui ration oi the application oi my idea to an I-heam wlmie easing constitutes the shell in the preeent instan -e. l ierein the shaped meintwr no stands in the head of the I, the A shaped member 70 stands in the bane thereof, the tlllt' it) braver, the A- shaped member, the brave Sit) is within the V- shaped member, but there are two horizontal members 80 and a third part 100 in the upright member, which part in this case am well be made with a plain upper edge entering the upstruck angle 83 of the horizontal member and a channeled lower edge lt l to stmid over the angle of the lmvermost horizontal member St). From this illustration it will be quite obvious that the bracing membera eould bo amplified almost. indefinitely, as when the b ann of eonside able height but not much width. In all infittilittS, however, I prefer to employ the V- sl'iaped member shown in Fig. (3, whether its ret atrant angle is supported by an A Shaped member, the upatruek angle at the eente. of a horizontal member, or the upper edge of a strut, or by any combimuiion of these instrumentalities; and, as above suggested, each and all of themembers may be provided with stitl'ening irregularities as typieally shown in Figs. 1: and 5.

The manner of Forming and assembling the various elements: of this improved building unit constitute. no 'leature of the present invention and need llit be elaborated in this specification.

What ela'nned as new is:

l. A building unit r-oinpriaing a rel-langular tubular shell, and i liagonal and perpendienlar bracing: members extending throughout the length thereof. eaeh diagonal ronsiat' top; of two oblique leaves united b i an angle andhaving their outer edges standing in contiguous corners of the shell, the horizontal member having lateral feet at its outer edges standing within the sides of the shelliand its body passing between the;

angles of said diagonals, and the vertical member consisting of two strips'of' metalwhereof the lowermost has a foot resting on the bottom of the shell and its upper edge stands within the angle of the lower diago nal, and the uppermost has a foot resting under the top of the shell and its lower edge engages the angle of the upper diagonal.

A building unit'coinprising a rectangular tubular shell, and diagonal and perpendicular bracing members extending throughout the length thereof, each of the former consisting of two oblique leaves united by an angle and having their outer edges standing in contiguous corners of the shell, the horizontal member extending from side-t0 side of the shell" and passing between the angles of said diagonal members, and the vertical member consisting of a strut rising from the bottom of the shell into the apex of said angles and a brace rising from the latter to the top of the shell.

3. A building unit comprising a polygonal tubular shell, a Vshape d bracing member therein having its edges in upper corners of the shell and a reentrant angle in its vertex, alateral member connecting the sides of the shelland having an upstruck angle at its center entering said rentrant angle, an A- shaped member whose edges rest in lower corners of the" shell and whose angle rests under thatof the lateral member, an upright strut supporting the angle of the A- shaped member from the bottom of the shell, and an upright brace whose upper edge rests under the top of the shell and whose lower edge has a channeled flange resting stand under said recntrant angle, an upright strut supporting the angle of the A-shaped member from the bottom of the shell, and an upright brace whose upper edge rests under the top of the shell and whose lower edge has a channeled flange resting over said reentrant angle. v ,i

5. A building unit comprising a tubular shell, a V-shaped bracing member therein having a reentrant angle in its vertex, a lateral member having an upstruck angle at its center entering said reentrant angle,an A-shapcd member whose angle rests under that of the lateral member, an upright strut supporting said angles, and an upright brace between the top of the shell and said reentrant angle.

- 6. A building unit comprising a tubular shell, V-shaped and A-shaped' sheet metal bracing members therein, a horizontal sheet metal member passing between the angles of .said members, and a strut supporting the apex of the A-shaped member.

7. A building unit comprisin a tubular shell, a V-shaped bracing mem her therein having a 'reentrant angle in its vertex, a lateral member having an upstruck angle at its center entering said reentrant angle, and an A-shaped member whose angle rests under that of the lateral member.

8. A building unit comprising a rectangular tubular shell, a V-shaped bracing member disposedwith its edges in the upper corners and its vertex at the center thereof, said vertex being, provided with a reentrant angle, and an A-shaped member disposed with its edges in the lower corners' of the shell and its vertex in said angle.

9. A building unit comprising a tubular metallic shell, a V-shaped bracing member disposed with its edges in contact with the wall of the shell and its vertex at the center thereof, said vertex being provided with a reetrant angle, and a second bracing member leadingfrom a point within said angle.

straight to the wall of the shell.

10. A building unit comprising a rectangular tubular shell, a V-shaped bracing member disposed therein with its edges in the upper corners and its vertex at the center thereof, said vertex. being provided with a reentrant angle; and a second bracing member supporting said angle.

11. A building unit comprising a tubular metallic shell, a ll-shaped bracing niembe disposed with itsedges in contact witlf ithewall of the shell and its vertex. provided? with a reentrant angle, and other bracing member's leading from'a point within said angle to difi'erent points within the wall of the shell.

12. A building unit comprising a tubular a rectangular tubular shell of sheet metal having a seam alongone corner andits ends closed, and a plurality of braclng members therein consisting of leaves radiating from 'acing members therein conshell'of sheet metal having a seam along-one near its center to its sides and corners, certain of said leaves being united in pairs by angles at said center interengaging each other and pporting-the inner edges of'the other leaves, and one of the leaves so united having its outer edge extending into the corner designated by said seam.

14. A building unit comprising a polygonalshell, and a plurality of bracing members therein consisting of leaves radiating from a common point, those extending into the angles of the shell having plain outer edges and the others having feet at their outer edges turned at angles to their bodies and resting against the inner face of the shell.

15. A building unit comprising a rectangular shell, and perpendicular and diagonal bracing means therein consisting of leaves radiating from a common point, the

diagonals having plain outer edges and the other leaves having right angular feet at their outer edges resting against the inner face of the shell.

16. A building unit comprising a sheet metal shell, and a series of bracing members extending throughout the length there of and composed of metal leaves radiating from a common point tothe shell and having stiffening irregularities formed in their bodies? In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. SCHISLER. Witnesses:

CHAS. W. QUANDT, L. J. LARSON. 

